Joseph C. O'Brien
| Joseph C. O'Brien | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts | |
|
In office 2010–2012 |
|
| Preceded by | Konstantina Lukes |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Petty |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
November 25, 1965 Worcester, Massachusetts |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Lisa Laurel Weinberg |
| Profession | Community Organizer |
Joseph C. O'Brien (born November 25, 1965) is an American politician and community organizer. He previously served as an at-large member of the Worcester, Massachusetts City Council and served as Mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts from 2010 to 2012.
O'Brien was born and raised in Worcester. He earned a B.A. in urban studies from Fordham University and a M.A. in public administration from Harvard University.
After graduating from college, O'Brien worked as a community organizer in the Bronx and Worcester. He then spend the next decade working for non-profit organizations and in progressive politics. In 2001, O'Brien was elected to the Worcester School Committee. He served on the School Committee for three two-year terms and led efforts to improve programs for at-risk students and to expand student health services. From 2003-2004 O'Brien worked as the Director of the Mass Voters For Clean Elections and then as Director of the Commonwealth Coalition. In 2006 he served as campaign manager for then Worcester Mayor Tim Murray's successful campaign for Lt. Governor. From 2007-2009, O'Brien worked as District Director for U.S. Congressman and Worcester resident Jim McGovern.
O'Brien launched a campaign for Mayor of Worcester in 2009. He faced off against incumbent Konstantina Lukes and City Councilor Kathleen Toomey. His campaign received support from Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray, himself a former mayor of the city. On November 3, 2009, O'Brien won the mayoral election with 50% of the vote and won all 50 of the city's precincts.
As mayor, O’Brien initiated and led a special Mayor's Task Force on Job Growth and Retention that created a comprehensive strategic plan for economic growth in the city. He also created the Mayor's Civic Academy to teach civic participation to community leaders and this model program has been continued by current Mayor Joe Petty. As Chair of the Worcester School Committee he spearheaded a comprehensive effort to address the capital needs of the city’s public schools that resulted in more than 13 million dollars of funding for school renovation and technology upgrades. He also created the Mayor’s Task Force on Latino Student Excellence to address the growing achievement gap for Latino students. To better support the city's growing immigrant population he helped launch the Mayor's Immigrant and Refugee Roundtable.
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